I recently hired an editorial assistant at my press, and the submissions were pouring in—hundreds of emails from eager applicants hoping to land a first job in publishing. After combing through the first few dozen, patterns start to leap off the screen. Some made me think yes, please. Others sank themselves before I even opened … Continue reading Industry Insights: 11 Green Lights (and 5 Red Flags) in Editorial Assistant Applications| Only Picture Books
Book description from Goodreads: “In 1981, I. M. Pei was on a mission. A successful architect known for his modern designs, Pei was asked by the French president to redesign the Louvre Museum in Paris, home to the Mona Lisa and now famous for the glass pyramid at its center. At the time, the Louvre had many problems and no pyramid.| Only Picture Books
This month, we’re featuring Joan Schoettler, author of Books Travel the World, which I had the pleasure of editing for Bushel & Peck Books. Joan’s writing carries a quiet beauty and a deep sense of care for story and history. Her verse novel The Honey Jar: An Armenian’s Escape to Freedom won the California Book … Continue reading Author Interview: Joan Schoettler| Only Picture Books
There’s no grand theme this week. Just small jolts of delight, weirdness, and warmth. Each book gets five words—just enough to show why I might bring one (or all) to my picture book class for a closer look. The Cave Downwind of the Cafe Author: Mikey Please Illustrator: Mikey Please HarperCollins 9 September 2025 48 … Continue reading Picture Book Review: 5‑word reviews (The Cave Downwind of the Cafe, Hansel and Gretel, The Monster in the Lake, The Trouble with Giraffes, Unicorn Post)| Only Picture Books
There’s something unmistakable about September. Apples hit their peak. Crickets chirp louder at night. The light shifts, the air thins, and kids trudge back to school in stiff sneakers. It’s not quite fall—not yet—but the new season is stirring just below the surface. (And yes, there is fall in Florida. Sort of.) This Bonus Goody … Continue reading Picture Book List: 12 Picture Books That Feel Like September| Only Picture Books
My Writing Picture Books class is building picture book dummies this week, so spread planning is on my desk and in my head. We had a great time folding paper and stapling up dummies in class last week, too. If you’re new to making dummies, start with these two resources: How to Craft a Picture … Continue reading Industry Insights: Read and Write in Spreads| Only Picture Books
Book description from Goodreads: “An unforgettable lyrical picture book that celebrates biracial identity from the award-winning author of Paper The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist.| Only Picture Books
This month on the OPB Author Interview Series, we’re delighted to feature Susan Hughes—an award-winning Canadian author and freelance editor with more than 30 books to her name. Susan’s picture books range from joyful read-alouds like Hooray for Trucks to powerful nonfiction like Walking in the City with Jane and Walking for Water. Her books … Continue reading Author Interview: Susan Hughes| Only Picture Books
Each week, I sift through stacks of new picture books looking for the ones that feel fresh, moving, or just plain fun. These five-word reviews are my way of marking what caught my eye and held it. Not full critiques, just honest first impressions drawn from voice, feeling, and the spark of something well made. … Continue reading Picture Book Review: 5‑word reviews (Big Boy Joy; Diego Fuego; No More Chairs; Pencil’s Best Story Ever; To Catch a Ghost)| Only Picture Books
At our ACQUIRED! workshop this weekend, guest illustrator Fred Koehler shared a simple idea that lit up the room: write lines that give artists room to invent. He calls it “illustrator bait.” Your job as the text writer is to aim the scene and the feeling, then leave space for visual problem-solving. That space is where style, timing, and humor explode.| www.onlypicturebooks.com
At our ACQUIRED! workshop this weekend, guest illustrator Fred Koehler shared a simple idea that lit up the room: write lines that give artists room to invent. He calls it “illustrator bait.” Your job as the text writer is to aim the scene and the feeling, then leave space for visual problem-solving. That space is … Continue reading Insider Insights: Illustrator Bait–Write Lines that Invite Art| Only Picture Books
Shark Girl Author: Kate Beaton Illustrator: Kate Beaton 25 February 2025 Roaring Brook Press 48 pages Book description from Goodreads: “When Shark Girl is captured by an evil fishing captain’s net, she makes a vow… for REVENGE! With the sea witch’s help, Shark Girl becomes a human sailor and launches a plan… for MUTINY! But … Continue reading Reading Activities: Shark Girl by Kate Beaton| Only Picture Books
This month, we’re thrilled to welcome Lindsay H. Metcalf to the Only Picture Books Author interview series! Lindsay’s lyrical nonfiction and activist poetry have won plenty of awards—including the Green Earth Book Award and the ILA Social Justice Literature Award—and her growing body of work continues to inspire young readers to care about the world and their place in it.| Only Picture Books
This past weekend, I presented at the 2025 Writer’s Digest Conference in Baltimore, and wow—the energy was electric. Thanks to Amy, Moriah, Taylor, Robert, and all the great folks at Writer’s Digest for putting this together!| Only Picture Books